Troy Aikman

Quarterback, 1989-2000

Inducted Aug. 5, 2006

“The one thing that people can never appreciate unless you were around Troy was his unselfishness.”

Norv Turner, former Cowboys offensive coordinator

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

In the 1970s, the Cowboys had Roger Staubach, the All-American who could do no wrong on or off the field. In the 1990s, the Cowboys had Troy Aikman, who led them back to glory with three Super Bowl victories.

But it did not start quite so well for Aikman in Dallas. The Cowboys made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 1989 draft, and he went winless as a rookie, losing all 11 starts as the Cowboys went 1-15. At different times, fans wanted to see Steve Walsh, whom Jimmy Johnson took in the supplemental draft, or Steve Beuerlein.

It quickly changed. The Cowboys went 7-9 in 1990 and then made the playoffs in 1991. In January 1993, the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl since 1978, beating Buffalo, 52-17, in Super Bowl XXVII.

Aikman was never about numbers. He had more than 20 touchdown passes in only one season. He was about being coolly efficient on a team of superstars. He would conduct the drives and Emmitt Smith would provide the thunderous ending with a touchdown run.

A series of concussions led to the end of Aikman’s career following the 2000 season. He was the winningest quarterback of any decade in NFL history with 90 wins during the 1990s.

Defining Moment

The Cowboys’ 1993 season started with three straight wins and ended with five more in a row, including Troy Aikman’s shining performance in Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl -- the stadium he called home for two years in college at UCLA.

Aikman completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and threw four touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 52-17 annihilation of Buffalo. Two of those touchdown throws went to Michael Irvin, his fellow Ring of Honor inductee, and the others went to Jay Novacek and Alvin Harper.

Aikman became the fourth quarterback to throw for four or more touchdowns in a Super Bowl.

His contributions were rewarded with the Most Valuable Player trophy and a Disneyland commercial.

Over the years

1989: Drafted as the No. 1 overall pick by the Cowboys and the first draft pick in the Jerry Jones era.

1990: After going 0-11 as a rookie, Aikman recorded his first win with a 17-14 victory against San Diego, throwing for 193 yards.

1991: Threw more touchdown passes (11) than interceptions (10) for the first time in his career, and the Cowboys made the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

1992: He was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXVII, throwing four touchdown passes in a rout of Buffalo after the 1992 season.

1993: Aikman (right) completed 69.1 percent of his passes and led the Cowboys to their second straight Super Bowl win.

1994: In the 1994-95 season’s NFC Championship Game, he passed for 380 yards and two touchdowns and nearly rallied the Cowboys from a 21-0 first-quarter deficit against San Francisco.

1995: The Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in four years, and the first without Jimmy Johnson as coach. Aikman completed 15 of 23 passes, including 10 straight at one point, to help beat Pittsburgh for the franchise’s fifth Super Bowl victory.

1996: The Cowboys made the playoffs again and won the NFC East for the fifth straight year, but Aikman threw more interceptions (13) than touchdown passes (12) for the first time since 1990.

1998: Missed five games with a fractured left clavicle, the first time he missed a start since 1994.

2000: Started 11 games but threw only seven touchdown passes and had 14 interceptions as the Cowboys finished 5-11 under first-year coach Dave Campo. Aikman retired after the season.

2005: Inducted into the Ring of Honor with Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith.

2006: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with former Cowboys offensive coordinator Norv Turner as his presenter.

Larry Allen

Offensive lineman, 1994-2005

Inducted August 3, 2013

About

Larry Allen played for four high schools in four years. After he dropped out of Butte Junior College, Sonoma State coach Frank Scalercio found him and gave him a scholarship to his school. Allen flourished and the Cowboys drafted him in the second round in 1994.

Allen stepped in at right tackle during his rookie season when the Cowboys lost starter Erik Williams due to injury. The next season he started at right guard. The following season he started at left tackle. As Allen slid all across the line, playing every position but center, he was a Pro Bowler wherever he landed, being named to the game 10 times while with the Cowboys.

Allen, who bench pressed 700 pounds during his playing days, is a member of both the 1990s All-Decade Team and 2000s All-Decade Team.

Defining Moment

Stepping into the starting role as a rookie, Allen faced off with Reggie White on Thanksgiving 1994. White, playing with an injured arm, manhandled Allen, throwing him to the ground at least three times. Allen would later credit that game for making him work harder. The next time Allen faced White was in the playoffs the same year. White finished with three tackles and no sacks. The Cowboys won, 35-9.

Over the years

1994: Drafted in the second round by the Cowboys.

1995: Allen starts all 16 games for the Cowboys for the first time and makes the Pro Bowl, setting off a stretch of 11 Pro Bowls in 12 years (one appearance came while with the 49ers).

2006: Allen is released by the Cowboys after sustaining a series of injuries. He signs with the San Francisco 49ers, where he finishes his career.

2008: Allen signs a one-day contract with Dallas so he can retire as a member of the Cowboys.

2011: Inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor.

2013: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tony Dorsett

Running back, 1977-1987

Inducted July 30, 1994

“To be able to play 12 years in this league and have a Hall of Fame career is something I never dreamed of. At 183 pounds, you’re not supposed to be able to take the pounding that running backs take in the National Football League, but I outlasted a lot of bigger guys and I will always be proud of that and what I accomplished.”

Tony Dorsett

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

The Cowboys finished 11-3 in 1976, which meant there was no way they could get the Heisman Trophy winner and best running back in the country.

But that is exactly what they did with Tex Schramm executing a stunning draft-day trade and sending a No. 1 and three No. 2 picks to Seattle for the right to draft Tony Dorsett.

Dorsett led the Pittsburgh Panthers to the 1976 national championship with a 27-3 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

In each of his four seasons at Pitt, Dorsett made the All-America team and rushed for more than 1,000 yards. He finished his college career with a record 6,082 yards rushing.

Dorsett gave the Cowboys stability and electricity. He solidified the running game for the next nine seasons.

He ended his career as the second leading rusher in NFL history but has since been passed by six players. With 12,739 yards, he ranks eighth all-time. He made four Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team.

He is also the fourth leading scorer in Cowboys’ history with 516 points, trailing only Emmitt Smith, Rafael Septien and Dan Bailey.

Defining Moment

The Cowboys’ 1993 season started with three straight wins and ended with five more in a row, including Troy Aikman’s shining performance in Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl -- the stadium he called home for two years in college at UCLA.

Aikman completed 22 of 30 passes for 273 yards and threw four touchdown passes in the Cowboys’ 52-17 annihilation of Buffalo. Two of those touchdown throws went to Michael Irvin, his fellow Ring of Honor inductee, and the others went to Jay Novacek and Alvin Harper.

Aikman became the fourth quarterback to throw for four or more touchdowns in a Super Bowl.

His contributions were rewarded with the Most Valuable Player trophy and a Disneyland commercial.

Over the years

1977: After being taken with the second pick in the draft, he rushed for 1,007 yards and 12 touchdowns and was voted NFC Offensive Rookie of the Year.

1978: Cowboys defeated Denver in the Super Bowl to cap his rookie season.

1981: Had his best season, gaining 1,646 yards.

1982: Gained 745 yards in a season interrupted by a work stoppage. That was the only season that he led the league in rushing.

Inducted Aug. 8, 2015

About

The only player to have won five Super Bowls, Charles Haley already had two championships under his belt when he joined the Cowboys via trade from San Francisco in 1992 after clashing with 49ers coach George Seifert.

A linebacker in San Francisco, Haley moved to defensive end when he came to Dallas. In his first year with the Cowboys, Haley pushed the team over the hump, giving them their first Super Bowl in 15 years.

After back-to-back Super Bowls, the Cowboys lost to the 49ers in the NFC championship game in the 1994 season. Haley said he was retiring after the game. He returned for 1995 but a herniated disk in his lower back knocked him out near the end of the regular season, and he said he was retiring again. He returned to play in Super Bowl XXX, where he recorded a sack and won his record fifth Super Bowl.

Haley finished his career as a five-time Pro Bowler (two with the Cowboys) and a two-time first-team All-Pro (once with the Cowboys, 1994).

Defining Moment

Late in the first quarter of Super Bowl XXVII, Haley looped around Buffalo’s right tackle and sacked Bills quarterback Jim Kelly, popping the football into the air. Cowboys defensive tackle Jimmie Jones caught the ball on a ricochet and fell into the end zone to give Dallas a 14-7 lead. The Cowboys never surrendered the lead in a 52-17 victory.

Over the years

1986: Drafted in the fourth round by the San Francisco 49ers.

1992: Traded to the Cowboys after having a troubled history with the 49ers.

1994: Haley registers 12.5 sacks, earning him first-team All-Pro honors for the second time in his career and his first and only time as a member of the Cowboys.

Bob Hayes

Wide receiver, 1964-1975

Inducted Aug. 8, 2009

“I've been blessed by the grace of God to win two Olympic gold medals and then play football for the world's greatest professional sports organization in history.”

Bob Hayes

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

When the Cowboys selected Robert Lee Hayes in the seventh round of the 1964 draft -- the 88th overall selection -- Hayes still had a year left at Florida A&M, where he played football, and a trip to the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where he established a legend.

Hayes won two gold medals at those Olympics, becoming “The World's Fastest Human.” Then he joined the Cowboys and spent 10 years as “Bullet Bob,” perhaps the most electrifying player in Cowboys history.

Hayes’ last year in Dallas was 1974, but he still holds team records for average yards per reception in a season (26.1) and a career (20.0). His 71 touchdowns are the most of any Cowboys receiver, and his 22 catches of 50 or more yards have never been challenged.

As devastating as Hayes was on the field, he was destructive off of it. He served jail time for selling narcotics and had alcohol and drug addictions.

Defining Moment

After setting a world record of 10 seconds flat in the 100-meter dash in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Hayes got the baton as the anchor in the 400-meter relay trailing the French team by three meters.

Hayes not only made up the deficit, but burst past the startled Frenchman and won the event. One U.S. coach timed the last 100 meters in 8.5 seconds.

When Hayes joined the Cowboys, the memory of the Olympic performance was deeply imbedded into the minds of opposing players and coaches. While corners tried to cover him, teams would station another player 10 yards back to try and pick up Hayes when he inevitably got past the first man.

“People talk about somebody being a deep threat; Bob Hayes was a deep threat," said Atlanta coach Dan Reeves, who played on the same team in Dallas with Hayes. “Defensive backs lived in fear of him. He changed the game.”

Over the years

1964: Became a seventh-round pick by the Cowboys in the 1964 draft as a future selection and a 14th-round pick by the AFL Denver Broncos. He won two Olympic gold medals at the Tokyo Games with a world record 10.0 seconds in the 100 meters.

1965: Set Cowboys rookie records with 46 catches, 1,003 yards and 12 touchdowns. He led the NFL with an average of 21.8 yards per catch and went to the first of three consecutive Pro Bowls.

1966: Caught 64 passes for 1,232 yards and an NFL-leading 13 touchdowns. He also set a club record with a 246-yard game and 95-yard catch against the Washington Redskins.

1971: Led the NFL with an average of 24 yards per catch and helped the Cowboys win their first Super Bowl.

1975: Left Dallas as the team’s all-time leading receiver with 365 catches, 7,295 yards and 71 touchdowns. The Cowboys traded him to San Francisco, where he played a final season.

1996: Served as one of the Cowboys’ honorary captains for the NFC Championship Game against the Green Bay Packers at Texas Stadium.

2001: Underwent surgery in Jacksonville, Fla., to remove a cancerous prostate. He suffered from liver and kidney failure. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made Hayes the 11th member of the Ring of Honor.

Inducted Aug. 4, 2007

About

There was never really any debate among players and coaches about what Michael Irvin meant to the Cowboys during his 12-year career. He was the heart and soul of the team.

He was its fiery leader. And its spokesman. And its shining example of how hard work can turn a good player into a great player.

Irvin gave the Cowboys passion.

“He brought a sense of urgency to every practice and every game,” Emmitt Smith said. “With him, it was always, ‘I can’ and ‘I will.’ Other people may have tried to deflect what he brought to the table, but we never did.”

Overcoming a lack of speed with technical precision and using his 6-2, 210-pound body to shield defenders from the ball, Irvin played in five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1991 to 1995.

His career ended prematurely in 1999, when a neck injury suffered against Philadelphia in the fourth game of the season revealed he had a narrow spinal column.

Still, he finished his career as the Cowboys’ all-time leader in receptions (750), yards (11,904) and 100-yard games (47).

Defining Moment

It was a trademark slant. The kind of tough catch that defined Michael Irvin’s 12-year career.

He used his body to shield the cornerback from the ball, caught the pass and prepared his body for the big hit, if it came. Of all the catches in his career, more than 100 had probably come on this type of play.

This time, though, Irvin didn’t get up after Philadelphia cornerback Bobby Taylor slammed him to the ground, driving his head into the artificial surface. This time, Irvin couldn't feel his extremities. On that play against Philadelphia on Oct. 10, 1999, Irvin’s career ended after 750 catches and 11,904 yards.

A battery of tests and examinations revealed that Irvin suffered from cervical stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal column that could make him vulnerable to paralysis if he suffered another violent blow.

The Cowboys, holding out hope that he might be able to play again, didn’t even put him on injured reserve until near the end of the season. Several months later, Irvin announced his retirement.

Over the years

1988: Selected by the Cowboys with the 11th pick of the first round. Led the NFC with an average of 20.4 yards a catch. Scored his first touchdown in his first start on a 35-yard pass from Steve Pelluer.

1989: Suffered season-ending knee injury in sixth game.

1990: 20.6-yard average was the highest by a Cowboys receiver since 1981. Missed the first four games recovering from a knee injury suffered in 1989.

1991: Established a franchise record for receiving yards with 1,523. Had seven consecutive 100-yard games. Named MVP of the Pro Bowl after catching eight passes for 125 yards.

1992: Led the league with an average of 17.9 yards a catch, and finished second in receiving yards. Set a career high with 210 yards on eight catches with three TDs on Sept. 20 vs. Phoenix. Scored two first-half touchdowns in Super Bowl XXVII and gained 114 yards receiving.

1993: Finished second in the league with 1,330 receiving yards and third in receptions with 88. He led the team in receiving touchdowns for the fourth consecutive season, with seven. He was selected to the Pro Bowl.

1994: In a loss to San Francisco, set Cowboys playoff records with 12 catches and 192 receiving yards.

1995: Established an NFL record with 11 100-yard games, breaking Charley Hennigan’s mark set in 1961. Caught seven passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a playoff win over Green Bay, giving him five 100-yard games in the playoffs, the second-highest total in NFL history.

1996: Led the Cowboys in receptions and receiving yards for the sixth straight season. Suspended for the first five games by the NFL for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.

1997: Scored nine touchdowns, the second-highest season total of his career.

1998: Streak of games with at least one reception ended at 117.

1999: Injured neck in the fourth game against Philadelphia, ending his career.

2005: Inducted into the Ring of Honor.

2007: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jerry Jones

Owner/president/general manager

Inducted Aug. 5, 2007

“Jerry has done so much for the NFL. He’s been on so many different committees to try and help the NFL, not only the Cowboys, but the whole league. He was great when I worked for him, his enthusiasm and his energy always showed up in everything.”

About

For Jerry Jones, the road to the gates of the Pro Football Hall of Fame began in a fetal position. That's hardly a comfortable pose for a successful 46-year-old businessman who already had amassed more than a modicum of wealth and power through the relatively obscure oil fields of rural America.

Jones, who was based in Arkansas and Oklahoma, didn't have to ponder purchasing the Dallas Cowboys back in 1989 for more than a New York minute. He was determined to add the Cowboys to his portfolio despite the advice of a team of attorneys and accountants who looked at the glitz surrounding America's Team and saw only a black hole.

Jones clearly understood the cold, hard fact that the team, owned by Bum Bright and a cadre of minority owners, was drowning in the red. It was bleeding $1 million a month with full-blown bankruptcy beckoning.

No matter. Jones couldn't stand having his nose pressed to the window while what he craved sat in plain view on the other side.

Jones wanted what he wanted and let the bottom line be damned. He could fix it, he believed, when he got his hands on the Cowboys.

Almost 30 years later, the Cowboys are the most valuable sports team in the world, according to Forbes.com, at $4.2 billion.

Along the way, Jones’ NFL contributions include breathing life into a marquee but moribund Cowboys franchise that would win three Super Bowl championships in a four-year span in the 1990s. But more important, he introduced new revenue streams to the league and his fellow owners in markets around the country.

Jones revolutionized the league's dealings with television networks and reinvented how owners could independently turn marketing of their teams and their stadiums into gushers.

Jones also led the way in showing how teams could create independent marketing agreements to complement the NFL's league-wide agreements.

The Cowboys owner was branded a maverick. The league sued. But in the end, Jones won, and his fellow franchisees fell in lock step.

In essence, Jones established a blueprint that allowed rich men and women to make more money.

Defining Moment

No matter what Jones has done to promote the NFL and build revenue, profit and visibility – and it’s been significant – he’ll always be judged by the Cowboys’ success or lack thereof on the field.

And no matter who you credit for the Cowboys’ historic run in the 1990s, Jones was at the top of the mountain as the club’s owner and general manager.

On Jan. 28, 1996, the Cowboys became the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a four-year period with their 27-17 victory over Pittsburgh.

Jones became the first NFL owner to win three Super Bowls in his first seven years of ownership.

In Jones’ first decade as owner, the franchise reached the playoffs eight times, winning six division titles and reaching the NFC title game four times en route to the Cowboys being named the NFL’s Team of the 1990s.

Over the years

February 1989: On Feb. 25, Jones purchased the Cowboys from H.R. “Bum” Bright for $140 million and soon after fired longtime coach Tom Landry and replaced him with Jimmy Johnson. A few months later, Jones fired longtime general manager Tex Schramm.

April 1989: UCLA quarterback Troy Aikman was the No. 1 overall pick by the Cowboys, the first draft pick of the Jones era.

October 1989: He trades running back Herschel Walker to Minnesota for five players, six conditional draft choices and a 1992 first-round pick. Among players who came to Dallas because of the picks traded included Emmitt Smith, Russell Maryland, Kevin Smith and Darren Woodson.

May 1992: He’s appointed to the NFL’s Competition Committee by then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue, becoming the first owner to serve on the prestigious committee since the death of Cincinnati’s Paul Brown.

1992-1993: He became one of the league’s heavy-hitters when then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue invited him into the contract talks with television networks. He fought the idea of NFL owner’s giving back more than $300 million in revenue in exchange for a two-year extension. Fox eventually outbid CBS by more than $100 million a season and the NFL’s TV contract reached $1.1 billion, without NFL owners giving anything away. Now, the league’s TV deals have reportedly topped $7 billion.

January 1993: Jones celebrates his first Super Bowl win with the Cowboys, a 52-17 victory over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.

January 1994: Jones celebrates back-to-back world championships with the Cowboys’ 30-13 victory over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVIII at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta.

1995: Before he was viewed as one of the league’s most respected owners, Jones was more of a maverick. Unlike other NFL teams, Jones did it his way in regard to marketing and revenue. He agreed to his own marketing deals with Nike and Pepsi (estimated at $40 million), sidestepping the league’s revenue sharing. The NFL wasn’t a fan of the move – multiple owners spoke out against Jones and lawsuits followed – because the league had deals with Reebok and Coca-Cola.

January 1996: Jones’ Cowboys become the first team in NFL history to win three Super Bowls in a four-year span by defeating Pittsburgh, 27-17, in Super Bowl XXX at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

November 2004: With 55 percent of the vote, the citizens of Arlington support a stadium referendum at the polls. The public-private partnership between Arlington and the Cowboys funded a retractable roof stadium that could seat up to 100,000 fans.

September 2009: The first regular-season game is played at Cowboys Stadium (now AT&T Stadium) in Arlington against the Giants before an NFL-record crowd of 105,121.

January 2011: Jones announces Jason Garrett as the Cowboys’ eighth head coach.

February 2011: For the first time in the region’s history, North Texas hosted a Super Bowl. The Packers played the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.

July 2013: The Cowboys and AT&T announce that Cowboys Stadium will now be called AT&T Stadium as the sides agree to a long-term contract for naming rights.

August 2013: The City of Frisco and the Frisco ISD announce a partnership with the Cowboys to establish the club’s new team headquarters and training facility.

April 2014: Jones received the prestigious Horatio Alger Award in Washington, D.C., and was inducted as lifetime member into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.

2015: He helped sway owners to back a proposal for Stan Kroenke, owner of the St. Louis Rams, to build a $2.7 billion stadium in Inglewood, Calif.. The agreement cleared the way to get the NFL back in the Los Angeles market with the move of the Rams.

January 2015: The Pro Football Writers of America named Jones the 2014 NFL Executive of the Year after he helped construct a team that tied for the league’s best record in 2014 at 12-4.

July 2016: The Cowboys move into their new team headquarters and multi-use facility at The Star in Frisco.

February 2017: Jones becomes the 16th person to represent the Cowboys in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Tom Landry

Coach, 1960-1988

Inducted Aug. 4, 1990

“I just hope when it’s all over that I've helped some people have a better life because they've known me somewhere along the way. I don't care if I'm in the Hall of Fame or whether I'm remembered for any reason other than that.”

Tom Landry

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

Tom Landry was more than coach of the Cowboys. He stood as a symbol for Dallas, a dignifed presence who roamed the sidelines for 29 seasons, fedora on his head, clipboard in his hand.

Landry compiled a record of 270-178-6. He led the Cowboys to five Super Bowl appearances, two Super Bowl titles and 20 consecutive winning seasons. He transformed the Cowboys from expansion team to America’s Team.

He was a thinking man’s coach. His many innovations, including the Flex defense and a new version of the Shotgun formation, helped change the way the game was played in the NFL.

Landry showed little emotion on the sideline, yet he demanded excellence from his players. Many of them praised him for having a dramatic effect on their lives, personally and professionally.

The legendary coach from Mission, Texas, died of leukemia on Feb. 12, 2000.

Defining Moment

After starting with six non-winning seasons as coach, Landry established the Cowboys as a consistent winner. But for all their successes, Landry and the Cowboys suffered some heartbreaking losses and couldn't win the big one.

But in 1972, Landry and the Cowboys finally won it all, beating Miami, 24-3, in Super Bowl VI in New Orleans. Landry smiled as his players lifted him onto their shoulders and carried him off the field. He even received a congratulatory phone call from President Nixon in the locker room. At the time, Landry called it “my biggest thrill.”

Aug. 4, 1990: Landry is enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with Staubach giving the induction speech.

July 20, 1993: After spurning invitations from Jerry Jones for more than three years, Landry agrees to be inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor.

Nov. 7, 1993: Landry is inducted into the Ring of Honor during a game against the Giants.

Bob Lilly

Defensive tackle, 1961-1974

Inducted Aug. 2, 1980

Number: 74 Born: July 26, 1939 Birthplace: Olney, Texas College: TCU

“We played for fun, because we loved the game. We probably could have made as much if we gave it up and got a job coaching.”

Bob Lilly

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

Bob Lilly, probably more than any other player, came to be identified with the Cowboys and with their development into one of sports’ most successful franchises. In fact, Lilly was nicknamed “Mr. Cowboy.”

A two-time All-American at TCU, he was the first player the Cowboys drafted in 1961. Over the next 14 years, he didn’t miss a regular-season game, playing in a team-record 196.

In 1975, he became the first player inducted into the Ring of Honor. Five years later, he became the first Cowboy inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Cowboys coach Tom Landry said Lilly was the kind of person you might come across once in a lifetime.

From the forefront of the “Doomsday Defense,” Lilly collected awards and honors as though they were Texas wildflowers -- named Rookie of the Year, selected to the Pro Bowl a team-record 11 times, named to the All-Pro team seven times. He played on one Super Bowl championship team. But the highlight of his career, he said, wasn't anything he could hang on a wall; it was his friendship and association with his teammates and coaches.

Defining Moment

In 1963, Lilly’s third season with the Cowboys, Landry moved him from defensive end to defensive tackle. Lilly said that was a defining moment in his career because he “loved it.” He never liked defensive end. If that moment defined Lilly, then he defined the defensive tackle position for the next decade.

“Winning the Super Bowl (in 1972) was the other defining moment,” he said. “That was the culmination of all our dreams and goals.”

Over the years

1961: Drafted first by the Cowboys, Lilly was also drafted by the Dallas Texans of the American Football League. Although the Cowboys were a young team, the National Football League was established. He signed with Cowboys, who hadn’t won a game the previous season. With Lilly earning Rookie of the Year honors, the Cowboys improved to 4-9-1.

1966: The Cowboys (10-3-1) won the Eastern Conference for the first time. Lilly was named All-Pro.

1971: The Cowboys lost to the Baltimore Colts, 16-13, in Super Bowl V in Miami. In a moment that would provide an enduring image emblematic of the Cowboys’ refusal to accept defeat, Lilly yanked off his helmet and hurled it skyward.

1972: The “Doomsday Defense” didn’t allow the Miami Dolphins into the end zone at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans as the Cowboys won their first Super Bowl, 24-3. Nov. 23, 1975: Bob Lilly Day in Dallas. He was inducted into the Ring of Honor.

1980: He said he never even thought about receiving such an honor until it actually happened: Lilly was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Mel Renfro

Defensive back, 1964-1977

Inducted July 27, 1996

Number: 20 Born: Dec. 30, 1941 Birthplace: Houston College: Oregon

“You get goose bumps every time you go down on the field and look up at the Ring. You say, ‘Wow!’ I was working for Miller Beer, and Tex Schramm called and said, ‘Hey, Mel, you’re going into the Ring of Honor. Mel, you're in.’ I just about fell out of my chair. It came from out of the blue.”

Mel Renfro

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

As a young track star, Mel Renfro stunned fans with his potential before going on to intercept a club-record 52 passes as a Cowboys defensive back from 1964-77.

The Houston native and University of Oregon product played safety and cornerback at Dallas, earning Pro Bowl berths in his first 10 seasons.

Renfro, who played in four Super Bowls, also stood out as a punt and kickoff return specialist, with a career kickoff-return average of 26.4 yards.

“As a kid, I thought of players like Bart Starr, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown as the real giants,” said Renfro, who grew up in Portland and led the NFL with 10 interceptions in 1969.

He scored six career touchdowns, three on interceptions.

Renfro, a five-time All-Pro, was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1981 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Defining Moment

Mel Renfro’s most vivid on-field memory came in 1970. The Cowboys led Detroit, 5-0, late in the Divisional Playoff at the Cotton Bowl when the Lions marched down the field. Renfro said one thought ran through his mind: “In the previous four years, we’d lost in the playoffs. And here we were about to lose for the fifth time.”

Wrong. Renfro’s interception preserved the win.

“That put us over the hump,” Renfro said. “It was like the load had been lifted.”

The Cowboys went on to defeat San Francisco, 17-10, in the NFC Championship before losing to Baltimore, 16-13, in Super Bowl V.

Renfro identified his personal “defining moment” as his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, because it placed him in the company of his childhood heroes.

Over the years

1964: Drafted by the Cowboys in the second round; led the team in interceptions with seven in his rookie season.

1969: Led the NFL in interceptions with 10.

1970: During the divisional playoff against Detroit, Renfro intercepted a pass to preserve the 5-0 victory.

1977: At the time of his retirement, Renfro had 52 interceptions for 626 return yards; 109 punt returns for 842 yards; 85 kickoff returns for 2,246 yards.

Deion Sanders

Cornerback/wide receiver, 1995-1999

Inducted Aug. 6, 2011

“I like this game, I admire this game. It taught me how to get up, how to play with pain, this game.”

Deion Sanders

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

A four-time Pro Bowler in Atlanta and San Francisco before he came to Dallas, “Neon Deion” was the reigning NFL AP Defensive Player of the Year when he signed a free-agent contract with the Cowboys during the second week of the 1995 season. The Cowboys gave him a signing bonus of almost $13 million at the time — more than they gave Troy Aikman — and promised Sanders he would play on both offense and defense.

Sanders did both and returned punts for the Cowboys in five seasons with the team. He made a 47-yard reception and started at cornerback as the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXX in Sanders’ first year in Dallas. The next season Sanders saw his only significant time at wide receiver, making 36 receptions for 475 yards and one touchdown. He also went to the Pro Bowl as a defensive back.

“Prime Time” made four Pro Bowls in five years in Dallas and was named first-team All-Pro three more times.

Defining Moment

On Monday Night Football against the Giants in 1998, with the Cowboys playing without starting quarterback Troy Aikman, Sanders had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown in a 31-7 victory. He also caught a 55-yard pass from backup quarterback Jason Garrett that set up another Cowboys touchdown. Sanders finished the day with 226 total yards.

Over the years

1989: Drafted in the first round (5th overall) by the Atlanta Falcons.

1995: Signs a seven-year contract with the Cowboys in free agency.

1996: Sanders and the Cowboys win Super XXX in January.

2000: Sanders leaves the Cowboys in free agency to join the Washington Redskins.

Tex Schramm

President/GM, 1960-1988

Inducted July 27, 1991

Tex Schramm, after his high school sweetheart and wife, Marty, once tried to console him after a loss saying the Cowboys “couldn't win them all.”

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

Former Cowboys president and general manager Tex Schramm drew on experience in journalism, public relations and TV to build one of the most recognized franchises in professional sports.

Schramm, who died in 2003 at age 83, created the exclusive Cowboys Ring of Honor.

Schramm engineered the AFL-NFL merger and branded America's Team. But perhaps his most enduring legacy will be the gamble he took in hiring a 35-year-old New York Giants defensive assistant to coach the expansion Cowboys.

Shortly before he died, Schramm visited with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, sharing his opinion that the Ring of Honor should be reserved for only the giants of the franchise’s history. Jones vowed to honor Schramm’s vision of exclusivity.

Defining Moment

In 1959, Tex Schramm hired Tom Landry, a Giants defensive assistant who sold insurance in Dallas during the off-season. Schramm said that for every assistant coach who succeeded as a head coach, there were four or five who didn’t.

Landry was the exception.

When the Cowboys went 13-38-3 in Landry’s first four seasons, Schramm gave him a vote of confidence by extending his contract. The Cowboys had 20 straight winning seasons under Landry, from 1966-85, and won two Super Bowls.

The two were never close friends, but they built one of the most recognizable teams in sports history. When others called for Landry to be fired in the late 1980s, Schramm remained loyal.

That decision may have cost Schramm his job, but he knew it was the right one.

Emmitt Smith

Running back, 1990-2002

Inducted Aug. 7, 2010

“He's one of the great players to ever play the game -- not one of the great running backs but one of the great players.”

Jerome Bettis, former Pittsburgh Steelers running back

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

He wasn’t the fastest. Or the flashiest. Or the biggest.

He wasn’t even the first running back taken -- the New York Jets’ Blair Thomas took that honor -- in the 1990 NFL draft.

But when his 15-year NFL career ended, no one in the history of the NFL had ever run for more yards than Emmitt Smith.

Then again, maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. Smith has been a star almost from the time he first carried a football. He was one of the top recruits in the nation at Pensacola’s Escambia High School and he starred at Florida before leaving after his junior season for the NFL.

But after being the 17th player chosen in the draft, Smith played much of his career with a chip on his shoulder. His performance demanded respect from the draft gurus who slighted him and the teams that passed him up. Smith finished his career with 18,355 yards and more rushing touchdowns than anyone else in history. He won every imaginable individual award and he owns three Super Bowl rings.

Defining Moment

It was one of most courageous moments in franchise history.

Who can forget Emmitt Smith, his face contorted in pain after every play, imposing his will on the New York Giants and leading the Cowboys to a 16-13 overtime win and home-field advantage throughout the 1993 playoffs.

Smith, who separated his shoulder at the end of a 46-yard run in the first half, finished the game with 32 carries for 168 yards and 10 catches for 61 yards and a touchdown. He established the franchise record for rushing-receiving attempts in a game with 42.

Smith gained 78 yards on 17 carries after the injury.

The Cowboys drove 52 yards in 12 plays for the winning field goal. Smith handled the ball on nine of those plays, gaining 41 yards

Four weeks later, Smith was named MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII with a 132-yard performance against Buffalo.

Over the years

1990: Selected with the 17th pick of the first round. Surpassed the 100-yard mark for the first time against Tampa Bay (121 yards). Named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Earned first Pro Bowl berth.

1991: Became the youngest player (22) to win an NFL rushing title (1,563 yards)

1992: Won second consecutive rushing title with franchise-record 1,713 yards. Rushed for 108 yards against Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVII.

1993: Joined Earl Campbell, Jim Brown and Steve Van Buren as the only players to win three consecutive rushing titles (1,486 yards). Named league MVP. Named MVP of Super Bowl XXVIII after gaining 132 yards against Buffalo.

1996: Set franchise record for 100-yard games (44) with 112 yards against Arizona, and also became the fifth player in league history to score 100 rushing touchdowns. Gained 155 yards against Washington to become the 12th player to surpass the 10,000-yard mark.

2001: Recorded his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season, and moved past Barry Sanders (15,269 yards) into second place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list.

2002: Became the NFL’s all-time leading rusher on an 11-yard run in the second quarter against Seattle during a 109-yard performance. Finished the season with 17,162 career yards.

2003: Released by the Cowboys after 13 seasons, he signed with Arizona. Limited to minus-1 yard on six carries against the Cowboys before leaving with a broken shoulder, the result of a Roy Williams hit. His season ended without a 100-yard game for the only time in his career.

2004: Completed second season in Arizona with 937 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Recorded the final 100-yard game of his career (106 yards) against Seattle on 26 carries.

2005: Inducted into the Ring of Honor.

2010: Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, with Jerry Jones serving as his presenter.

Roger Staubach

Quarterback, 1969-1979

Inducted Aug. 3, 1985

“I was in the Navy watching [Don] Meredith and [Bob] Hayes. I was drafted by the Cowboys, so I was hoping I’d get a chance to play with the Cowboys. So Don retired in '69, and he's the one who kind of created the quarterback slot in the winning era. I was just thinking about competing and making the team, so the whole 11 years of being with the Cowboys is as special as anything that has ever happened to me as an athlete.”

Roger Staubach

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

Quarterback Roger Staubach never took for granted that he’d end up in the NFL. But the Heisman Trophy winner from the Naval Academy led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships (1972 and ’78), four Super Bowls and six NFC Championship games during his tenure from 1969-79.

His calling card became his deft direction of comeback victories. His capacities to make big plays and to scramble (410 career rushes) entrenched Staubach among the most exciting players to watch.

“I'm always grateful for what I was able to get accomplished in sports,” said Staubach, 61, a Cincinnati native who took over as the Cowboys starter during the 1971 season. Staubach, the Super Bowl VI Most Valuable Player, was inducted into the Ring of Honor in 1983 and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985. He retired after the 1979 season as history’s top-ranked passer with 1,685 completions for 22,700 yards and 153 touchdowns. He also ran for 2,264 yards.

Defining Moment

The Cowboys and Roger Staubach figured they had much to prove when he took over as the starting quarterback during the 1971 season. The 24-3 Super Bowl VI victory over Miami on Jan. 16, 1972, in New Orleans was pivotal for Staubach and the franchise.

“We’d lost the previous year to Baltimore,” Staubach remembered. “There was, ‘Can they win the big game?’ No question about the feeling we had after winning that game in Tulane Stadium. That game kind of took the pressure off.”

For Staubach, the setting united his loved ones and left him with some lasting visual impressions. “That game always brings good feelings,” he said. “My mom was there, and my wife and children. Coach Landry was carried off the field, smiling ear to ear. We saw the coach smile!”

Over the years

1964: Drafted by the Cowboys in the 10th round, even though he had a five-year commitment to the Navy.

1969: Entered the NFL as a 27-year-old rookie and threw his first pass for the Cowboys.

1971: Became a regular starter for the Cowboys and led the NFC in passing with 1,882 yards and 15 touchdowns. Season culminated with him earning the Super Bowl MVP in 1972 after beating Miami, 24-3.

1973: Led the NFL in passing with 2,428 yards.

1975: In the playoff game against Minnesota, Staubach hit Drew Pearson with a 50-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown pass that eliminated the Vikings.

1977: Led the NFC in passing with 2,620 yards and beat Denver, 27-10, in Super Bowl XII.

Randy White

Defensive tackle, 1975-1988

Inducted July 30, 1994

“On game day, you could just turn it loose. Instead of putting you in jail, they said you did good.”

Randy White

About

Defining Moment

Over the Years

About

White was considered one of the best defensive linemen to ever play the game, combining power, quickness and intense competitiveness.

Nicknamed “Manster” -- half man, half monster -- by teammate Charlie Waters, White packed a mean punch. Not only did he force double teams, but he could chase down receivers.

White set the franchise record with eight All-Pro selections, and was selected to nine Pro Bowls. His 16 sacks in 1978 rank third in franchise history, and his 1,104 career tackles rank third.

Over his 14 seasons, White played in six NFC Championship games and three Super Bowls. He was named co-MVP with Harvey Martin in Super Bowl XII. Perhaps his most remarkable accomplishment was that, despite all his hard hits, he missed only one game.

Defining Moment

After struggling at linebacker his first two seasons, White moved to defensive tackle in 1977, and his career took off.

His six-tackle performance in Super Bowl XII in New Orleans earned him co-MVP honors with Harvey Martin. In that game, with the Cowboys’ defense limiting the Denver Broncos to 10 points, White showcased the talents that made him one of the NFL’s dominant defensive players over a 14-year career that included nine Pro Bowl and eight All-Pro appearances.

Over the years

1975: Won the Outland Trophy and Vince Lombardi Award his senior year at Maryland. He is the second player selected in the NFL draft with a choice obtained by the Cowboys from the New York Giants for quarterback Craig Morton.

1977: After two seasons as a backup middle linebacker, he became starting right tackle. Earned his first Pro Bowl appearance after making 118 tackles with 13 sacks.

1978: In addition to earning All-Pro for the first time, White is selected to the Pro Bowl and named defensive player of the year after making 123 tackles with 16 sacks. White is selected co-Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XII with Harvey Martin after making six tackles in the Cowboys’ 27-10 victory over Denver.

1986: Fails to make Pro Bowl for the first time in past 10 seasons. However, despite shoulder injury, makes 103 tackles. Also, receives no All-Pro accolades for first time since 1978.

1988: Part-time player because of neck problems, records career low in tackles (12) and sacks (1.5).

1989: Unable to overcome lingering neck injury, announces his retirement at age 36.

1994: Is inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame at Canton, Ohio, in his first year of eligibility along with teammate Tony Dorsett. Is inducted into the Ring of Honor at Texas Stadium along with Dorsett during halftime of a game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Rayfield Wright

Right tackle, 1967-1979

Inducted Aug. 6, 2006

About

Rayfield Wright never made his high school football team. He was headed to the Air Force before Stan Lomax, the basketball and football coach at Fort Valley State offered him a scholarship. After turning down a pro contract from the Cincinnati Royals of the NBA to finish his education, the Cowboys drafted the athletic Wright in the seventh round.

“Big Cat” spent time at tight end and defensive end before finally finding his home at offensive tackle in 1969. When right tackle Ralph Neely was injured, Cowboys coach Tom Landry inserted him into the lineup.

The next season Landry named Wright his starting tackle before training camp. Wright was a Pro Bowler six straight times from 1971 to 1976 and a first-team All Pro from 1971 to 1973. He is one of 13 players to have played in five Super Bowls. He won two: (Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII).

Defining Moment

Wright’s first start came against legendary Deacon Jones. On the first play, Jones asked Wright if his mother knew where he was. Wright contained Jones the entire game, cementing his status as a starter. He was voted Cowboys Player of the Week and a billboard was erected in Dallas bearing his name in three-foot letters.

Over the years

1967: Drafted by the Cowboys in the seventh round.

1969: Wright sees his first extended playing time after Ralph Neely goes down with an injury. In his first game he shuts down Deacon Jones.

1970: Wright becomes a full-time starter.

1971: The first year of a six-year Pro Bowl run. In the divisional round of the playoffs, Wright faces Minnesota’s Carl Eller, one of the best defensive linemen in the game. Wright stifles Eller. The Cowboys win 20-12 and go on to capture the Super Bowl that year.